too loverly to eat

Caramel Cookies

The other week I realised it had been a while since I’d baked for the office so I decided I should bake something to take in. I wanted to make something quick and simple, which only needed store cupboard ingredients since I didn’t want to go out to the supermarket, so I decided to make some cookies. After a flick through some of my recipe books I came across these in the Hairy Bikers Big Book of Baking. Despite having to make the caramel to go in them, they’re straightforward (and quick) to make.These aren’t like traditional American cookies which are chewy. They are quite crumbly and I’d say that they are verging on the edge of being shortbread-like, probably due to the fact that they don’t contain eggs. The caramel is very very easy to make – no need for a sugar thermometer, just boil sugar and water together. The dough was easy to work with too – it wasn’t sticky so it was easy to roll into balls. I made sure that the caramel was crushed into uneven sized pieces – some big pieces but then some of it was almost dust – and I loved the way that the crumbs of caramel melted into the cookies as they baked. Once the caramel is made, they take next to no time to make.

Place the granulated sugar and water into a small pan and place over a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat slightly and allow to simmer, without stirring for 5 to 8 minutes. Keep an eye on it – you want it to be a rich golden caramel colour.

Pour onto a small baking sheet with parchment paper and allow it to spread out to a thin layer. Leave to cool completely – be careful while handling the caramel, as it is extremely hot! Once cold, break in to pieces using a pestle and mortar or bash it (in a bag) with a rolling pin. You want the pieces to be about 5mm, but I think it works well if there’s a variety of shapes and sizes.

Pre heat the oven to 350 F / 180 C / Gas mark 4. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and baking powder and mix until well combined – it should come together to form a ball. I found it easiest to mix the flour in with my hands.

Roll the dough into 15 balls. Place them onto baking trays lined with baking parchment and flatten them down to about 1cm thick. Bake them for 10 – 12 minutes, until they are a light golden brown. The cookies will be very soft coming out of the oven but will crisp up as they cool. Once they are done, leave them to cool completely before enjoying one (or 2!) with a cup of tea.